Firecracker
by Xtyne
Summary: Elise Grey just wanted to be a normal human. She just wanted to be left alone. But a war was coming, raged by the trickster God himself. Elise comes to realize, however, that she is not the only victim on the run. She may just need to rely on the very one who was searching for her to begin with.


**Chapter One:**

The winter seemed endless.

Snow fell for hours on end, for days, covering the streets of the Toronto suburb and causing misery over the city. The sky was bleak and grey, the wind chilling everything in its path.

It was just another winter in Canada.

"I'm moving to Florida one of these days," Elise Grey grumbled as she tried her best to dig her car out of the driveway, only to find herself knee deep in snow as the wind whipped the snow back into the car's path.

She eventually gave up, tossing the shovel to the ground as she maneuvered through the snow back to her porch. The overhang shielded her from the majority of the falling snow, but the wind kept her from seeing much more than a foot in front of her.

"This is ridiculous," Elisa sighed, shaking her head as she tried to warm her hands, rubbing them together quickly. She couldn't do what she _wanted_ to do. She couldn't.

Even if she desperately wanted to.

It would make everything much easier, of course. Her car would be warmed and waiting as the driveway cleared itself of the freezing cold mess. And she wouldn't be frozen to the core.

But there were plenty of prying neighbours around her that even the slightest oddity and she would have the police knocking down her door. Ever since what happened in New York, nothing out of the ordinary went ignored without consequence.

This winter, however, it was very tempting for Elise. The devil on her shoulder goaded her into wanting to make life so much easier. The struggle wouldn't make her late for work, or for her boots to be soaked. Her fingers didn't have to be numb, nearly frostbitten, and she certainly didn't need to have to rake up her utility bill trying to seek warmth as she slept. Everything could have been _so much easier._

She didn't exactly want to spend the rest of her life locked up in some mental institution, though.

"Crap," Elise glanced down at her watch with a frown. She was going to be late_. Again_.

Forcing herself to continue, Elise shoveled what she could of the snow as fast as she possibly could. The temptation was growing, especially whenever the pile on her lawn blew back onto the driveway. Logic was beginning to snap, and so was her sanity. She was almost relieved when a honk from the street stopped her itching fingers.

The frustrated blonde threw a look over her shoulder to the street, briefly wondering how a car even managed to get down the street that barely looked plowed. Finding a massive black SUV answered her question. Curious, and knowing none of her neighbours owned the monstrosity, Elise tried to peer into the car. The windows, however, were tinted. Even as the window rolled down partway, all she was able to see was a dark outline.

"Elise Grey?" the deep voice boomed over the wind.

She raised an eyebrow at the mention of her name. "Yes?" she wasn't sure why it came out a question. She wasn't used to her name being called out of a strange vehicle.

She should have realized then that something was wrong.

By the time another SUV came barreling down the snow-covered street, Elise _did _realize something was wrong. Forgetting the shovel, the blonde darted towards the front door, hopeful that if she simply locked herself inside and called the police, she would be fine. A form dropped down in front of her, however, blocking her path and causing a gasp to sound from her lips.

_Where the hell had he come from?_

"Miss Grey," there was a bow held in the man's hand as he gracefully stood in one quick movement. "We're not here to hurt you."

She almost wanted to laugh at his attempt to reason with her. There were at least four men dressed in black with guns being hidden not so subtly behind her. Elise wasn't stupid.

"I'll scream," Elise threatened, eying her door and wondering what the odds were that she could get around the archer and to the front door before anyone could catch her.

Or kill her.

"You don't want to do that, ma'am," he took a small step forward. His bow was held loosely in his hand, but as she took the tiniest step to the side, his grip loosened on the weapon. "We just want to talk."

Talk? They wanted to walk to her?

"Right, and I'm the friggin tooth fairy."

The archer's expression didn't falter, completely blank as his eyes darted from her to the men behind her.

"It would be in your best interest if you came with us, ma'am," he advised.

"I think it would be in my best interest if I didn't," Elise shook her head. She was going nowhere with whoever these people were. Even if she had to let the temptation take over. She would rather have to deal with the strange looks than whatever fate these people had in store for her. "Look, unless you want something really _bad_ to happen…"

His gaze dropped to her hands, and when her fingers twitched even the slightest, he had an arrow pointed in her face. "I would suggest not doing that, Miss Grey."

Her eyes grew wide as she stared at the arrow aimed at her in warning. He had known something. He had _known_ she was capable of _something_.

But how?

"What do you want with me? Who are you?" Elise tried to control her voice as she kept her hands perfectly still. She wasn't going to chance getting an arrow in her skull.

Not that she could always stop it from happening.

"We're the good guys," he insisted.

"A good guy wouldn't have an arrow pointed at my face."

The bow didn't falter, the arrow stilled as it remained in place.

"What do you want?" Elise demanded. Maybe if she could get him talking, distract him long enough, she would be able to come up with some sort of plan. Either that, or a neighbor would start to wonder what in the world was going on next door.

"This has gone on long enough. We're bringing her in," a voice sounded behind her.

Elise's heart pounded in her chest as she could sense movement behind her. She was surprised when the arrow moved this time, the archer aiming instead at the men behind her.

"Fury wanted her unharmed," he reminded.

"He won't get her if you keep wasting time," the other complained with a grunt. "Just grab her and lets get out of this hell hole."

With the weapon still trained over her shoulder, the archer's gaze returned to hers. "It would be better if you came willingly."

"I'm not going anywhere with you. Who are you people? What do you want?"

The archer sighed but his stance remained the same. "My name is Clint Barton. I'm an agent for SHIELD."

SHIELD.

She knew that name.

Most people did after New York.

They had stepped in, assuring the public that everything was fine and well, despite the fact that aliens had attacked one of the grandest cities in the world. Not that she believed them. No one could. It could never be okay after learning they weren't alone in the universe, that there were aliens, gods, and other worldly creatures that lived amongst us, even if they were billions of light years away.

"What does SHIELD want with me?" Elise already knew though. She wondered if they might ever find out. They seemed to collect the unusual and unique. Their 'Avengers' attested to that.

Clint raised an eyebrow as he nodded to her hands. "I think you know."

The blood drained from her face. Her worst nightmare was finally becoming a reality. "Why? I haven't done anything. I haven't…"

The bow did lower this time, a flash of pity in his eyes. "This isn't about what you have or haven't done. It's about what you _can_ do."

"It's not all that great," Elise tried to reason with him, panicked that she really was going to be locked away and thought to be some dangerous being. She didn't want this. She had never wanted this ability. It wasn't her fault. She had been so careful not bring any attention to herself, to harm anyone other than herself. "I can barely even do anything."

"But you can do _something_," the bow was suddenly raised once more, causing Elise to flinch and tense. The arrow was pointed over her shoulder again, though she still braced herself for the worse. "Take another step, Agent; I won't hesitate to lodge this arrow into your face."

"I knew we shouldn't have trusted you since Loki…"

Clint's eyes narrowed, but he remained stoic and calmed. Elise didn't know what to do as the archer and agent glared at one another, barely paying her any attention. She took the moment to eye who she assumed to be other agents of SHIELD. If she took off at a run, she might just be able to get to her door. She may just be able to dart inside and hope for the best.

Would it be enough to keep SHIELD out though?

Elise took her chances.

"Grab her!" The agent growled at the others as Elise reached the porch.

Clint was between them before the agents could reach her, however. Elise's hand froze on the doorknob as his hand reached back, grasping onto her wrist.

"You don't want to do that, Miss Grey. We're not here to hurt you."

"Then why _are_ you here?" it was barely above a whisper, her voice betraying her fear.

"Fury wants you," Clint stated bluntly.

"Wants me?" she didn't like the sound of that. "Why? I'm not some toy. I'm not a new weapon for anyone to play with."

"Look," Clint shot her a glance before returning his gaze to the agents fuming on the driveway. "Something is coming. Something big. We need everything – and everyone – we can get. This isn't about being some weapon. This is about being able to save the world. Don't you want to be a hero, Miss Grey?"

"I want to be left alone."

"You don't have much of a choice in that," he admitted.

Her face fell. She knew he was right. If she continued to refuse, to try and escape, he would only lose patience and either let the other agents attack her, or he would do so himself. She was cornered. Even if she had managed to get in the house, without the use of her ability, she was helpless.

"Why should I trust you?"

The corner of his lips twitched into a faint smirk. "I'm the one standing between them and you."

He was right. Again.

Elise's shoulders fell in defeat as she slowly turned and eyed the Agents. "Where are you taking me?"

She could have sworn relief flooded Clint's face before his mask was settled back in place.

"Washington."

* * *

"_You failed us once. Do not fail us again, Asgardian Prince. Bring her to us, or_ he_ will grow tired of your games."_

Emerald green eyes snapped open as a sharp pain pricked at the corners of his mind.

He was running out of time.

The Mad Titan would find him soon enough. Not even the shields surrounding Asgard could protect him for much longer.

It was time for him to return to Midgard.


End file.
